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Yellow fever virus particles (virions), coloured transmission electron micrograph (TEM). Yellow fever virus belongs to the Flavivirus family (subgroup arbovirus) and is an enveloped RNA virus. The virus shape is icosahedral with a lipid containing envelop. It is also known as a togavirus. Yellow fever virus is carried by mosquitoes and is common in Africa, Central and South America. In Africa, Aedes sp. is the insect vectors that carry the virus, while in South America, Haemagogus sp. is the insect vector. The yellow fever virus is transmitted to humans when an infected female mosquito bites a human. Symptoms include fever, headache and nausea (flu-like symptoms). In serious cases there may be liver and kidney damage (necrosis), and even death. Yellow fever causes yellowing of the skin due to jaundice. There is no treatment for yellow fever and 5% of those infected die. Yellow fever vaccines can provide immunity. Magnification: x36,840 when shortest axis printed at 25 millimetres. Original image courtesy of the CDC.